The place is located right opposite Quitol plateau, across the Sal River, where 9th edition of four-day mega event was held this week.

The 10th edition would be now held in 2018 since it’s organised once in two years.

Referring to the news item published by goanews.com, GF president Prabhakar Timble today said the government could very well utilize the land, around 7 lakh sq mts, to hold DefExpo.

Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai had twitted the same day the news had appeared, stating that the government should organize DefExpo in its own land.

The long stretch along the beach at Tambori waddo of Cavelossim is used hardly for two weeks, twice in a year, for shooting practice and dummy bombing by the naval authorities.

As people of Betul and other surrounding villages have opposed using Quitol plateau as a permanent venue, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has announced it would be shifted elsewhere in Goa.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has however said Goa would be made a permanent venue for DefExpo, for which land would be acquired elsewhere in Goa.

Betul people are opposing using Quitol plateau as a permanent venue since the land would remain idle for 700 days while the mega-exhibition of defence establishment would be held for only four days.

“The Quitol plateau was marked for an industrial estate, which could give employment to the locals of permanent nature. How could locals benefit from DefExpo which is held only for four days in two years”, asks Timble.

He also felt it was not proper to look at DefExpo at emotional level and call its opponents anti-national.

Timble has also raised a question whether it is right to position Goa with casinos on one side and arms trade on the other in context of future of Goa’s tourism and security.